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Sri Lanka's Main Opposition Ready for Talks With Government
Sri Lanka's main opposition United National Party (UNP) has responded positively to an invitation by Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake for talks with a view to establishing a constructive agreement to overcome the current political crisis in the country, the official Daily News said on Friday.
Leader of the UNP Ranil Wickremesinmghe replied in his letter on Thursday that they were ready for the talks which should be on the basis of the priorities of the joint opposition.
These priorities include the immediate resummoning of Parliament, the withdrawal of the proposed referendum and the establishment of five independent commissions for elections, police, judiciary, public service and media.
The government for its part wants opposition support to have its proposed new constitution passed in Parliament and cooperation to end the 18-year ethnic war and resolve the country's ethnic problem.
Prime Minister Wickremanayake invited opposition on Tuesday for unity talks in a bid to form a "government of consensus."
Representatives from the two sides will hold talks on Friday at a mutually agreeable venue.
The government lost its majority in Parliament having only 109 against the joint oppositions 115 in June following the withdrawal of main Muslim Congress party and was faced with a no-confidence motion which it temporarily overcame by President Chandrika Kumaratunga's proroguation of parliament on July 10.
Consequently Wickremesinghe has persistently called for the resignation of the government and spearheaded opposition campaigns for the reconvening of parliament.
At a such massive demonstration in Colombo on Thursday he called on President Kumaratunga to show her commitment to democracy by issuing a policy statement and go for elections or facing the opposition's no-confidence motion when Parliament meets again on September 7.
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